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Psalm 31

For the worship leader. A song of David.

You are my shelter, O Eternal One—my soul’s sanctuary!
    Shield me from shame;
    rescue me by Your righteousness.
Hear me, Lord! Turn Your ear in my direction.
    Come quick! Save me!
Be my rock, my shelter,
    my fortress of salvation!

You are my rock and my fortress—my soul’s sanctuary!
    Therefore, for the sake of Your reputation, be my leader, my guide, my navigator, my commander.
Save me from the snare that has been secretly set out for me,
    for You are my protection.
I entrust my spirit into Your hands.[a]
    You have redeemed me, O Eternal, God of faithfulness and truth.

I despise the people who pay respect to breathless idols,
    and I trust only in You, Eternal One.
I will gladly rejoice because of Your gracious love
    because You recognized the sadness of my affliction.
    You felt deep compassion when You saw the pains of my soul.
You did not hand me over to the enemy,
    but instead, You liberated me
    and made me secure in a good and spacious land.

Show me Your grace, Eternal One, for I am in a tight spot.
    My eyes are aching with grief;
    my body and soul are withering with miseries.
10 My life is devoured by sorrow,
    and my years are haunted with mourning.
My sin has sapped me of all my strength;
    my body withers under the weight of this suffering.

11 To all my enemies I am an object of scorn.
    My neighbors especially are ashamed of me.
My friends are afraid to be seen with me.
    When I walk down the street, people go out of their way to avoid me.
12 I am as good as dead to them. Forgotten!
    Like a shattered clay pot, I am easily discarded and gladly replaced.
13 For I hear their whispered plans;
    terror is everywhere!
They conspire together,
    planning, plotting, scheming to take my life.

14 But I pour my trust into You, Eternal One.
    I’m glad to say, “You are my God!”
15 I give the moments of my life over to You, Eternal One.
    Rescue me from those who hate me and who hound me with their threats.
16 Look toward me, and let Your face shine down upon Your servant.
    Because of Your gracious love, save me!
17 Spare me shame, O Eternal One,
    for I turn and call to You.
Instead, let those who hate me be shamed;
    let death’s silence claim them.
18 Seal their lying lips forever,
    for with pride and contempt boiling in their hearts,
    they speak boldly against the righteous and persecute those who poured their trust into You.

19 Your overflowing goodness
    You have kept for those who live in awe of You,
And You share Your goodness with those who make You their sanctuary.
20 You hide them, You shelter them in Your presence,
    safe from the conspiracies of sinful men.
You keep them in Your tent,
    safe from the slander of accusing tongues.

21 Bless the Eternal!
    For He has revealed His gracious love to me
    when I was trapped like a city under siege.
22 I began to panic so I yelled out,
    “I’m cut off. You no longer see me!”
But You heard my cry for help that day
    when I called out to You.

23 Love the Eternal, all of you, His faithful people!
    He protects those who are true to Him,
    but He pays back the proud in kind.
24 Be strong, and live courageously,
    all of you who set your hope in the Eternal!

Footnotes

  1. 31:5 Luke 23:46

Psalm 31[a](A)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(B)
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.(C)
Turn your ear to me,(D)
    come quickly to my rescue;(E)
be my rock of refuge,(F)
    a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,(G)
    for the sake of your name(H) lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap(I) that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.(J)
Into your hands I commit my spirit;(K)
    deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.(L)

I hate those who cling to worthless idols;(M)
    as for me, I trust in the Lord.(N)
I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction(O)
    and knew the anguish(P) of my soul.
You have not given me into the hands(Q) of the enemy
    but have set my feet in a spacious place.(R)

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;(S)
    my eyes grow weak with sorrow,(T)
    my soul and body(U) with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish(V)
    and my years by groaning;(W)
my strength fails(X) because of my affliction,[b](Y)
    and my bones grow weak.(Z)
11 Because of all my enemies,(AA)
    I am the utter contempt(AB) of my neighbors(AC)
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
    those who see me on the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as though I were dead;(AD)
    I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,(AE)
    “Terror on every side!”(AF)
They conspire against me(AG)
    and plot to take my life.(AH)

14 But I trust(AI) in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times(AJ) are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine(AK) on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.(AL)
17 Let me not be put to shame,(AM) Lord,
    for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent(AN) in the realm of the dead.
18 Let their lying lips(AO) be silenced,
    for with pride and contempt
    they speak arrogantly(AP) against the righteous.

19 How abundant are the good things(AQ)
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,(AR)
    on those who take refuge(AS) in you.
20 In the shelter(AT) of your presence you hide(AU) them
    from all human intrigues;(AV)
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

21 Praise be to the Lord,(AW)
    for he showed me the wonders of his love(AX)
    when I was in a city under siege.(AY)
22 In my alarm(AZ) I said,
    “I am cut off(BA) from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry(BB) for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people!(BC)
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,(BD)
    but the proud he pays back(BE) in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,(BF)
    all you who hope in the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 31:1 In Hebrew texts 31:1-24 is numbered 31:2-25.
  2. Psalm 31:10 Or guilt